Nathan Thompson (Australian footballer)
| Nathan Thompson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Nathan Thompson playing for the Kangaroos
during the 2006 AFL Season |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Nathan Thompson | ||
| Date of birth | 14 February 1978 | ||
| Original team(s) | Kyneton / Bendigo U18 | ||
| Height / weight | 196cm / 100kg | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1998 – 2004 | Hawthorn | 119 (192) | |
| 2005 – 2008 | Kangaroos | 60 (135) | |
| Total | 179 (327) | ||
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1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2008.
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| Career highlights | |||
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| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Nathan Thompson (born 14 February 1978) is a former Australian rules footballer, who previously played with the Hawthorn and North Melbourne Football Clubs in the Australian Football League. He is a previous panellist on the Sunday Footy Show.
Thompson was recruited from Kyneton and debuted for the Hawthorn Football Club in 1998. A tall marking forward, Thompson was an important young player for the club considering he was selected in the 1997 AFL Draft at pick 82.
Thompson performed well in Hawthorn's 2001 campaign, in which they came within two goals of playing in the Grand Final, and Thompson finished 3rd in the Peter Crimmins Medal. Playing mostly at Full Forward with the occasional run in the ruck, Thompson was the club's leading goalkicker for seasons 2003 and 2004.
In 2004 Thompson admitted to the media that he had been suffering from clinical depression, a saga that raised awareness of the condition.
At the end of 2004, possibly following the need for a fresh start following his revelation of depression, Thompson was a prized recruit for the North Melbourne Football Club and was seen as a big forward option alongside Saverio Rocca at the club. In 2005 he debuted for the Kangaroos and found himself working in rotation and occasionally in tandem with Rocca up forward, although this was not a permanent move due to Rocca's age and the top-heaviness of the Roos' forward line.
Thompson was the Kangaroos' leading goalkicker for 2005 with 52 goals and was considered a good choice for the Roos.
One of Thompson's most memorable games was the clash against Collingwood in Round 19. With the Roos trailing by almost 4 goals late in the 4th quarter, Thompson was part of a revival where the Kangaroos managed to take the lead in the dying moments. His contribution was 3 goals, including the matchwinner just before the siren. He gestured with a Hulk Hogan-style fist pump which remained one of the famous images of the 2005 AFL season.
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